PLEASE HELP A FEMALE DEVOTEE!!

[counterGOPI 0]

Hari bol! I am going to a temple nearby for the first time since I have become a devotee and I am very nervous to say the least! I ordered a Gopi dress from Krishna culture and I was hoping someone could instruct me on how to wear it, I know i need to cover my head and all but how do I do so? How do i drape the fabric, or better yet, how do I wear the dress all together? I appreciate any help given. Thank you so much!

Shanti,

Nicole

P.S. Can I wear my anklets and other jewelry to the temple? (besides my Tulasi obviously!)

[Guest guest]

I know i need to cover my head and all but how do I do so?

 

wear gopi dress if you like it, but, if you can't, do not worry if you cannot cover your head, there's no problem

[livingentity 0]

put skirt on. Hold the dupatta, chaddar or shawl (whatever you desire to call it) out in front of you and drape over your left shoulder. Then take it under your right armpit and tuck a corner of it in the back waist band of the skirt. The dupatta is now going across the front of your body from the back waist band, under your right armpit and draping across your left shoulder. You are then able to take the material that is hanging down your back over your head if desired. Just look at the pic in the Krishna Culture catalog and you will get the general idea. Also look at pics of women in sarees for an idea.

 

As for ankle bells and excessive jewelry - Leave them at home. You are not there for a cool fashion show or to look "ethnic". All the tinkling noise and flashing of the metal distracts from the true purpose of visiting the temple and taking darshan of the deities.

[Dervish 0]

Haribol, it's great you are going to a temple for the first time /images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

Wearing a gopi dress or any kind of sari for that matter is not a strict requirement, especially if you're a newcomer. The important thing is that you come and are sincere and learn about this bhakti process.

 

I am by no means discouraging you from wearing a gopi dress, but clothes should not be as big a focus at this time as the essense of worship; kirtan, etc.

 

When I first started out, I was very gung ho about dhotis, and was very absorbed with these external trappings, especially since I did not learn how to properly wear one until some kind devotees took the time to show me. I got much more out of programs when I wasn't so concerned about clothes.

 

If you can't find a diagram, I'm sure some matajis will be very happy to help. If you haven't met many devotees yet, you'll find the vast majority to be humble and very helpful among other good things /images/graemlins/smile.gif

[Tarun 6]

Covering your hair by scarf or otherwise is always nice. Which temple r u close to? Any women's ashram there? Indian women?

[counterGOPI 0]

First off thank you everyone for replying! I live up in Northern Louisiana and the closest temple is about 4 hours away in Dallas,TX. That is where I will be going next month.So , no, there are not any devotees nearby for me to seak guidance or inspiration from, that's why I posted on here and I am so glad this message board exists. I need as much support and guidance from devotees as I can get, especially female devotees.I beg for your guidance.

 

Thank you livinggentity for your instructions, the only thing is I am deeply sorry that I somehow came across as wanting to look fashionable at the temple. That is nowhere near the truth. I just want to make sure I do not offend anyone, this is my first time at a temple and I am not sure what to expect, I am just going by my books so I want to make sure everything is perfect. If I wanted to be materialistsic and fashionable I wouldn't be wearing a Gopi dress. and as for the jewelry, well I was told that a lot of the girls wear anklets so I was wondering if i needed to wear some there. Forgve me if these are all simple questions I ask and if I am mistaken, thats why I came on here so that I am not making those mistakes at the temple! I don't want to take anyting away form that day or the deities or the love of Krsna.As I said I am an extremely new devotee, so I basically know nothing comapred to probably all of you on this board who are much more advanced then I. Please forgive my false ego and help guide me.

Thank you so much everyone. Any more advice you may have for my first time at the temple would be greatly appreciated!!

Thanks again. Hari Bol!!!

Shanti,

Nicole

 

[Guest guest]

1)chant hare krishna as more as you can,

2)make friends with devotees

3)when you're back tell us please how you have found the temple, what you liked, what you did not

 

i want to offer to you my deep respect and gratitude, chanting hare krishna you are saving the world, me included

[Guest guest]

Hari bol mataji-

I don't know HOW new you are, but I thought I would offer a few othr things for going to the temple the first time, that I didn't know.

When entering the temple room, bow down and offer your obeisences to the dieties. I was a little uncomfortable doing this the first tme I went, but not anymore

Also bow before leaving the temple room if the diety doors are still open.

American culture is much more open to opposite sex intermixing, but Indian culture and vaishnava is not. So don't feel slighted if men do not look you in the eye, or acknowledge you. It is nothing personal, they are there to worship Krishna, not the women of the congregation.

 

During Kirtan don't feel bad if you don't know the words to the music, just dance and be ecstatic in the presence of the dieties. 7 months later, I still don't know what a lot of the words are but I still feel the love for krishna in the room and in the music and I always smile /images/graemlins/smile.gif

There is a small book that is a great reference called "Temple Bhajana Book". You can get ti online I think, or at the temple shop, if they have one. It has words to a lot of the Bhajans and prayers they sing at the temple. This is a big help.

Above all, don't be worried about it, just go and fill up on association with other devotees to last you until next time you go.

You can always come here for association also /images/graemlins/smile.gif

Hare Krishna!!!!!!!

 

 

[livingentity 0]

offend anyone. Your gopi dress will be very very appropriate. Yes, some of the women do wear anklets there is no problem but I have heard complaints about the bell type anklets before. They really can be quite distracting in that if it is quiet then all eyes go to the person tinkling around causing distractions.

 

Please let us know about your visit.

 

How close are you to New Orleans? There is a nice temple there. Also, a farm community is right across the state line in Mississippi near Picayne.

[Guest guest]

Nicole, I have two good devotee friends in Dallas who are involved in the temple there. If you write to me, I'll give you their names and emails because I'm sure they'd be willing to help you. /images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

Erica

elwolski2000@

[Guest guest]

Dallas has the most beautiful temple room i have ever seen. Plus the prasadam restaurant is the best. /images/graemlins/smile.gif